One Step Back, Ten Steps Forward

What do you do when you have achieved almost everything that you have aimed for and have performed consistently as the top in the world?

Take a break, of course!

Ferran Adrià, owner of the world famous El Bulli, has announced today that he plans to take 2 years off. El Bulli (a Michelin 3-star restaurant by the way) has been acknowledged as one of the best restaurants in the world and making a reservation is almost impossible as their bookings are always sold out on the day of being officially released.

Ferran Adrià admits that the decision to take a sabbatical will lose his restaurant the 3-star rating. However, he has a reason for doing so. "I need to to decide how 2014 is going to be," says Ferran of his decision to not take any customers for the years 2012 and 2013. "We want the year 2014 to stand out. I know that when I return it will not be the same."

Anyone who thinks that Ferran Adrià will take two years partying will be mistaken as a Ferran has insisted that 'these two years will be devoted to thinking, planning and preparing the new format for subsequent years.'

I would love to take a year off too actually. Who wouldn't? My wife recently commented that 2010 is our 7th year of having stepped into the working world. I know of friends who work 6 years and take a sabbatical every 7th year but that is something not viable for us at the moment. However as we all strive to achieve our goals in life, its heartening to see that ingenuity does not only require persistent hard work to achieve - but requires that we step back and recharge ourselves for inspiration and direction.